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Hydralisk
]] The hydralisk is the zerg basic front-line creature, forming the backbone of their onslaughts with its resistant carapace and ranged spine attack. Overview ]] The hydralisk is a zerg evolution of the slothien. While slothiens were peaceful herbivores, the hydralisk is noted as being one of the most fierce and sadistic of the zerg strains.Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998. The average hydralisk is 5.4m long and weighs 390 kg.Back of the original StarCraft box, 1998. Since hydralisks move relatively slowly over open terrain,Hydralisk. StarCraft Compendium. Accessed on 2007-11-27 it is common for hydralisks to burrow and await their prey to enter killing range before attacking,Bill Slavicsek, David Eckelberry, Shawn F. Carnes. Alternity: StarCraft Edition. Wizards of the Coast, March 1, 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1618-4. destroying their enemies in a deadly crossfire.StarCraft II-Hydralisk. Accessed on 2008-03-10 Despite their relatively sluggish nature, hydralisks can climb vertical surfacesHickman, Tracy (May 21, 2002). StarCraft: Speed of Darkness. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-671-04150-9. and continued evolution of the strain through muscular augmentation has resulted in faster hydralisks. History Prior to the beginning of the Brood War, hydralisks gained the ability to mutate into lurkers.Underwood, Peter, Chris Metzen and Bill Roper. StarCraft: Brood War (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998. The first recorded encounter between terrans and hydralisks was aboard a cargo vessel. The hydralisk was recorded by the derelict ship's security cameras. Since then, hydralisks have established themselves in terran culture to a notable extent. Sometimes colloquially called "hydras,"Giffen, Keith and Simon Furman (w), Federico Dallocchio (p, i), Milen Parvanov (col). "StarCraft #1" StarCraft 1 (1) (May 27, 2009) DC Comics (Wildstorm). hydralisk skulls have been mounted akin to trophies in Joeyray's BarJoeyray's Bar. Artist: Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed on 2010-03-12 and on an ore loader on Sorona.Dayton, Cameron. "Broken Wide." (March 5, 2010). Blizzard Entertainment. Broken Wide Accessed 2010-03-05. The Annual Hydralisk Derby has also become an established event.Leord, 4th Annual Hydralisk Derby. StarCraft Wire. Accessed on 2009-07-12 Current terran tactics for dealing with the creatures stress the need for siege tank support. Attacks Hydralisks may attack directly with scythe-like arms or, more commonly, strike from a distance with volleys of armor-piercing spines.Bill Slavicsek, David Eckelberry, Shawn F. Carnes. Alternity: StarCraft Edition. Wizards of the Coast, March 1, 2000. ISBN 0-7869-1618-4. Hundreds of spines are stored in the upper carapace plates and covered by flaps. The flaps fold back before the spines fire,Hydralisks fold back their top carapace flap to reveal those spines, it's an attack animation. When they are out of battle, they fold in again to hide them. What he said. Cavez, PsiWarp. 2009-02-05. Karune: screenshot question about hydras. Battle.net StarCraft II General Discussion Forum. Accessed 2009-02-05. a process which gives a few seconds warning to an impending volley. The hydralisk has 4,000 muscles, compared to a terran's 629, and a portion of these may be used to launch the spines with enough force to penetrate 2 cm. of neosteel. The spines were evolved from the slothien's defensive urticating (stinging) hairs; they may be "grooved" for increased range and are slightly poisonous.Metzen, Chris & Samuel Moore (March 29, 1999). "StarCraft: Revelations." Amazing Stories 596 (Spring): 20-27.Conversation with Horace Warfield after StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty cinematic, "Card To Play."Blizzard Entertainment. StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty. (Activision Blizzard). PC. Horace Warfield (in English). 2010. Game Unit StarCraft Hydralisks have a single ranged attack, unlike in the cinematic where they may melee attack. They are the only zerg ground unit able to hit air targets, making them one of the most important zerg units in the whole game. Hydralisk dens are required to spawn them from larvae. Hydralisks are cheap enough to be mass produced in a short period of time. Although hydralisks can deal huge damage in large groups, there are numerous counters; terrans benefit from large numbers of s, and s paired with medics. Protoss can effectively counter mass hydralisks with reavers with ground support and high templar using Psionic Storm. In competitive StarCraft, hydralisks are most often used against the protoss race (e.g. the 3 hatch hydra opening) because it is an effective counter to many protoss units despite the easy counters against them. This is especially true if the zerg player is skilled at micromanaging his hydralisks. Against terrans, hydralisks do not see much usage because professional players are too skilled with their marines, medics and siege tanks which are also natural counters to the hydralisk. In zerg vs zerg competitive play, hydralisks are virtually unseen as are most zerg units because the game is usually dominated by zerglings and mutalisks. Abilities Upgrades ]] StarCraft: Ghost ]] Hydralisks are featured as a player unit in StarCraft: Ghost, in addition to acting as enemies. Hydralisks maintain their StarCraft abilities but also gain a powerful claw attack.Source: BlizzCon 2005 StarCraft: Ghost information. Zerg units. Artist: Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-09-08. Their poison quills attack interferes with terran vision.1up staff. 2005-10-28. StarCraft Ghost Previews from 1UP.com 1up.com Accessed 2008-11-09. They move more slowly than zerglings. In Invasion mode, transforming a zergling into a hydralisk costs one point.Park, Andrew. 2005-10-28. Starcraft: Ghost Updated Multiplayer Hands-On - Zerg Rush! Gamespot. Accessed 2008-11-09. StarCraft II :For StarCraft II gameplay information see: Hydralisk (StarCraft II) Other Appearances s in Warcraft III]] :Main article: Hydralisk (Warcraft III) The hydralisk appears as an Easter egg unit in Warcraft III and its expansion, The Frozen Throne. Special Hydralisk Strains and Characters *Frayne the Feral *Hunter Killer *Specimen 16G *Zergrinch Warg Images : See: the image gallery. File:Hydralisk SC1 Cncpt1.jpg|Initial concept art File:Hydralisk SC1 Art1.jpg|StarCraft concept art File:Hydralisk SC-G Game2.jpg|StarCraft: Ghost game model File:Hydralisk SC2 Cncpt3.jpg|StarCraft II concept art File:Hydralisk SC2 DevCine2.jpg|StarCraft II cinematic appearance Notes References Category: StarCraft: Ghost Zerg units Category: Featured Articles Category:Zerg breeds